Imaging apparatus with display and image display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A digital camera is provided with a vertically long camera body having an approximately rectangular solid shape. An LCD panel provided in a rear surface of the camera body is arranged such that longitudinal directions of the display screen and the camera body correspond to each other. The digital camera is operated through a touch panel provided in a lower portion of the display screen. In a taking mode, an image is displayed in a small size on an upper portion of the display screen. In reproducing, the camera body is rotated sideways by 90 degree. In a reproducing mode, display posture of the image is also rotated by 90 degree, and the image is displayed in a large size on the entire display screen.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14/311,469, filed Jun.23, 2014, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 14/148,993,filed Jan. 7, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,886,030; which is a divisionalof application Ser. No. 13/365,677, filed Feb. 3, 2012, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,655,164; which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 13/241,390,filed Sep. 23, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8, 457, 486; which is adivisional of application Ser. No. 12/706,202, filed Feb. 16, 2010, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,050,550; which is a divisional of application Ser. No.11/296,334, filed Dec. 8, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,706,681, whichclaims priority of Japanese Patent Application 2004-357111, filed onDec. 9, 2004. The entire disclosures of the prior applications areconsidered part of the disclosure of the accompanying divisionalapplication and are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus with display andan image display apparatus, and more particularly to an imagingapparatus with display and an image display apparatus in which ahorizontally long display is provided in a main body.

2. Description of the Related Arts

There has been known a digital camera in which an image taken by animage sensor such as a CCD is converted into digital data to be storedin a memory. A display such as an LCD is provided in a rear surface of acamera body of the digital camera. The display functions as anelectronic viewfinder for through-displaying a live image of a subjectin a taking mode, while it reproduces and displays the recorded imagesread out from the memory in a reproducing mode.

The camera body is downsized and becomes thinner with the spread of thedigital camera; meanwhile, a display screen is getting larger in orderto enhance the visibility and to display a powerful image. When thedisplay screen is larger, it occupies more area on a rear surface of thecamera body inevitably, so that a grip space for holding the camera bodymust get smaller relatively. When the camera body is held tightly, thedisplay screen is partially covered by the hand holding the camera body.Accordingly, despite the large display screen, apart of the image is notwatched.

In order to solve the above problem, in the camera disclosed in JapanesePatent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-289484, the recorded image isdisplayed on the entire display screen in the reproducing mode, whilethe image to be taken in the taking mode is displayed slightly smallerthan the image in the reproducing mode, so that a part of the displayscreen used as a grip will become a blank area on which the image is notdisplayed.

This type of cameras have a camera body of approximately rectangularsolid shape are usually a horizontal type. In the horizontal type ofcamera, horizontally long posture in which the camera body is laid downso as to approximately correspond the longitudinal direction of thecamera body to the horizontal direction is normal posture. The normalposture of the camera body is posture in which the image having normalaspect ratio (horizontal to vertical ratio) of 4:3 for example, can betaken in the horizontally long posture (a so-called horizontalposition). In such a horizontal type camera, in the taking mode one endin the horizontal direction of the camera body is grasped so as to bewrapped by one hand, and then held. Additionally, since the camera bodyis horizontally long, the other end is easily held by another hand, andthe camera body can be held stably by both hands.

In the horizontal type camera, since a left side end portion of thecamera body viewed from the front side is a grip position, a grip spaceis positioned in the right side as viewed from the rear surface.Accordingly, the blank area is set in the right side of the displayscreen, and the display size of the image becomes smaller than the sizeof the entire display screen. The image is displayed on the upper leftside of the display screen. In the reproducing mode, the image can bereproduced in a state that the camera body is put on a table or on thehand, so that it is unnecessary to ensure the grip space as in thetaking mode, and the recorded image is displayed on the entire displayscreen. Thereby, it is possible to watch the powerful images on thelarge-sized screen.

According to the market research conducted recently by the presentassignee, the camera body is more often held with one hand as it isgetting smaller and thinner, and the research shows that a vertical typeof camera in which the normal posture is a vertically long (thelongitudinal direction of the camera body approximately corresponds tothe vertical direction) can be held more stably than the horizontal typewhich is conventionally used. The reason for that is considered asfollows. When the camera body is held with one hand, a side end portionin the horizontal direction of the camera body is gripped to hold thehorizontal type camera; meanwhile, a lower portion of the camera body isgripped to hold the vertical type camera. Thereby, the camera body iseasily held at a position near the barycentric position of the camerabody, so that fluctuation of the camera body is prevented.

Although the vertical type is easier to hold than the horizontal type inthe taking mode, the camera body of the vertical type is narrower thanthe horizontal type, and makes it difficult to increase the width of thedisplay. The display size is not a serious problem in the taking mode inwhich the display is used for framing; however, it should be as large aspossible in order to show visually appealing images in the reproducingmode.

When the image having the horizontally long aspect ratio is displayed onthe display screen of the camera or the image display apparatus havingthe horizontally long display, and if the display direction is fixed inthese camera and apparatus, it is impossible to correspond to the changeof the posture of the apparatus body, it is inconvenient in many cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a vertical typeof an imaging apparatus with display which can enlarge a size of adisplay screen in a reproducing mode.

Another object of the present invention is to enhance the convenience ofan image display apparatus with a horizontally long display.

In order to achieve the above and other objects, an imaging apparatus isprovided with a display controller for switching between a firstdisplaying mode and a second displaying mode. In the first displayingmode, an image having a horizontally long aspect ratio obtained with animage sensor is displayed on a display such that the long side of theimage is perpendicular to the long side of the display having a screenof an approximately rectangular shape. In the second displaying mode,the image in the first displaying mode is rotated by 90 degree, and theimage is displayed on the display such that the long sides of the imageand the display approximately correspond to each other.

In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the displaycontroller selects the first displaying mode in a taking mode for takingthe images with the image sensor, while selects the second displayingmode in a reproducing mode for reproducing the recorded images. In thefirst displaying mode, a live image is displayed on the display. In thesecond displaying mode, the recorded image read out from a recordingmedium is reproduced and displayed on the display. In the seconddisplaying mode, the image is displayed on the entire display screen ofthe display. In the first displaying mode, the image is displayed suchthat the long sides of the image approximately correspond in length tothe short sides of the display screen while maintaining the aspect ratioof the image. Thereby, a blank area where the image is not displayed onthe display screen is generated.

An image display apparatus with display of the present invention isprovided with a display controller for switching between a firstdisplaying mode and a second displaying mode. In the first displayingmode, the image having horizontally long aspect ratio is displayed on adisplay such that the long side of the image is perpendicular to thelong side of the display having a screen of an approximately rectangularshape. In the second displaying mode, the image in the first displayingmode is rotated by 90 degree, and the image is displayed on the displaysuch that the long sides of the image and the display approximatelycorrespond to each other.

According to the present invention, when the image having thehorizontally long aspect ratio is displayed on the horizontally longdisplay screen, it is possible to switch between the first displayingmode in which the long sides of the image and the display screen areperpendicular to each other and the second displaying mode in which thelong sides approximately correspond to each other, so that in the seconddisplaying mode the large display screen can be utilized effectively todisplay a large picture frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other subjects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiments when read in association with the accompanyingdrawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are notlimiting the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a digital camera to which thepresent invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the digital camera in horizontal posture;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing electric structure of thedigital camera;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a digital camera in which a releasebutton and a multifunction key are arranged on the side surface;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are a front perspective view and a side view of adigital camera in which a taking lens is arranged to be directed upward;and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing electric structure of the digitalcamera in which a gyro sensor is used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a digital camera 10 is a vertical type of camera inwhich the longitudinal length is longer than the horizontal length. Totake images, the vertical type of camera usually has normal posture inwhich a longitudinal side of a camera body 11 having an approximatelyrectangular solid shape stands upright. In a taking mode, a lowerportion of the camera body 11 is gripped by for example a user's hand17. A taking lens 12 and a flash emitter 14 are provided in an upperportion of a front surface of the camera body 11, and a release button16 is provided in the central portion thereof. The release button 16 isarranged so as to be easily operated by an index finger 17 a of the hand17. In the digital camera 10, when an image is taken in the normalposture, a horizontally long image having normal aspect ratio of 4:3 isobtained.

As is well known, a card slot (not shown) and a USB connector (see. FIG.4, numeral 57) are formed on a bottom surface of the camera body 11. Amemory card (see. FIG. 4, numeral 55) for storing image data is insertedinto the card slot removably. The USB connector transfers the image datain the memory card to an external apparatus such as a PC.

A mode switching dial 21 and a multifunction key 22 are provided in oneside of the camera body 11. The mode switching dial 21 switches betweenoperation modes of the digital camera 10, such as a taking mode forrecording the image in the memory card, a reproducing mode forreproducing the recorded image stored in the memory card, and a set-upmode for performing various settings. The multifunction key 22 isoperated to change a function assigned to each operation mode. Forexample, the multifunction key 22 is operated as a zoom key in thetaking mode while operated as a frame switching key in the reproducingmode, and as a cursor moving key on a setting screen in the set-up mode.A power switch 24 is provided in the other side of the camera body 11.

An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel 25 on which the image, a set-upmenu, and so forth is displayed is provided on a rear surface of thecamera body 11. In the taking mode, the LCD panel 25 is operated as anelectronic viewfinder for displaying a through-the-lens image of asubject in real time, while in the reproducing mode it is operated as areproduction monitor on which the image recorded in the memory card isreproduced and displayed. Meanwhile, in the set-up mode, various settingscreens are displayed on the LCD panel 25.

The LCD panel 25 has a display screen 23 with an approximatelyrectangular shape, and is arranged so that its long side corresponds tothat of the camera body 11. The ratio between a long side and short sideof the display screen has approximately the same aspect ratio(horizontal to vertical ratio) of the image. When the camera body 11 isrotated sideways by 90 degree from the normal posture, the displayscreen 23 is horizontally long and suitable to view the horizontalimages.

When the camera body 11 is in the normal posture, the direction of thedisplay screen 23 is vertically long. In the taking mode, an upper areaof the display screen 23 is used as an image display area 23 a, on whichthe live image (through image) of the subject is displayed. The image isdisplayed on the image display area 23 a such that the long sides of theimage approximately correspond to the short sides of the display screen23 while maintaining the aspect ratio of, for example, 4:3.

In the taking mode, a lower area of the display screen 23 is a blankarea 23 b on which the image is not displayed. When the digital camera10 is in the normal posture, the lower portion of the camera body 11 isgripped, and thus the blank area 23 b becomes a grip space. Since theimage is not displayed on the grip space, it is not hidden by the hand17 gripping the camera body 11 in framing.

Various kinds of information such as taking condition and the number ofimage taken are displayed on the blank area 23 b. Specifically, suchinformation would be, for example, a selected taking mode (e.g. adistant view mode, a close-up mode, a portrait mode, or an auto mode),the kind of flash emitting modes (e.g. a red-eye reducing mode, a forcedflash mode, or a flash off mode), and the remaining battery power. Inaddition, an f-number and shutter speed may be displayed on the blankarea 23 b.

A touch panel (see. FIG. 4, numeral 56) for inputting an operationsignal is provided in the blank area 23 b, and used as an operatingsection of the digital camera 10.

In the taking mode, the blank area 23 b will display a release key 26and zoom key 27 whose operation signals are input through the touchpanel that has switches arranged to face the release key 26 and the zoomkey 27. In addition, other key such as a mode switching key may beprovided as the operating section on the blank area 23 b. Since a firstfinger 17 b of the hand 17 is on the blank area 23 b, each operation keyis arranged so as to be easily operated with the first finger 17 b. Boththe combination of the release key 26 and the zoom key 27, and that ofthe release button 16 and the multifunction key 22 are effective, sothat a user can select either one of the combinations in which the useroperates easier. Alternatively, one combination may be made effective,while another one may be made ineffective.

As shown in FIG. 3, when reproducing the images, the camera body 11 isusually rotated by 90 degree from the normal posture. When the camerabody 11 in the normal posture is turned horizontally, the display screen23 becomes horizontally long. In the reproducing mode, the entire areaof the display screen 23 is the image display area. Display posture ofthe image in the taking mode is rotated by 90 degree, and the image isenlarged so that the long sides of the image and the display screen 23correspond with each other. Thereby, the image is displayed on theentire display screen 23, and it becomes possible to make the reproducedimage more visually appealing.

In the taking mode, the digital camera 10 is put on the palm of the hand17 or a table. Therefore, the display screen 23 is not covered by thehand 17.

In the reproducing mode, the multifunction key 22 is operated as a framechanging key. When the plural images are stored in the memory card, therecorded image to be displayed on the display screen 23 is changed byoperating the multifunction key 22. The total number of the recordedimages (“030”) read out from the memory card and the frame number of thedisplayed image (“015”) are displayed in a lower light area of thedisplay screen 23.

A frame changing key 29 is displayed above the frame number. Theaforementioned touch panel is provided in the right side of the displayscreen 23 (an area corresponding to the lower portion when the camerabody 11 is in the normal posture), and works with the frame changing key29. The reproduced image can also be changed by operating the framechanging key 29.

In FIG. 4, a CCD 40 is provided behind the taking lens 12. The CCD 40has an imaging surface on which subject light passing through the takinglens 12 is focused, and converts the subject light received on theimaging surface into electric signals. The CCD 40 is driven by a timinggenerator (TG) 42. A system controller 41 controls the overall operationof the digital camera 10 in response to the input of the operationsignal.

In the taking mode, the system controller 41 controls the TG 42 togenerate a timing signal (clock pulse). The CCD 40 is driven by thetiming signal (clock pulse) input from the TG 42.

The image signal output from the CCD 40 is input in a correlation doublesampling circuit (CDS) 43 to be sampled. The image signal output fromthe CDS 43 is amplified by an amplifier (AMP) 44, and then convertedinto digital image data by an A/D converter (A/D) 45.

The image data is temporarily stored in an SDRAM (internal memory) 48 bythe image input controller 46. An image signal processor 51 accesses theimage data stored in the SDRAM 48 to apply various kinds of imageprocessing including gradation conversion, white-balance correction, andy-correction processing. A YC conversion processor 52 converts the imagedata to which the image processing is applied into a luminance signal Yand color difference signals Cr, Cb.

In the taking mode, the CCD 40 images the subject at a predeterminedframe rate. The image processing is applied to the obtained image data,and the image data is displayed on the LCD panel 25 as the live image.The LCD panel 25 is driven by an LCD driver 49. The LCD driver 49 isprovided with an image memory and a D/A converter. The processed imagedata temporarily accumulated in the image memory is converted into, forexample, an NTSC analog signal by the D/A converter to be output to theLCD panel 25.

When the releasing operation is performed, the CCD 40 obtains main imagedata which has more pixels than the displayed live image. Theabovementioned image processing is applied to the main image data, andin addition, compression processing of a predetermined compressionformat (e.g. JPEG format) is applied thereto. The main image data towhich the compression processing is applied is recorded in a memory card55 through a media controller 54.

In the reproducing mode, the main image data read out from the memorycard 55 is written in the SDRAM 48. Then, after expansion processing isapplied to the main image data by a compression and expansion processingcircuit 53, the image data is output to the LCD driver 49 to bereproduced and displayed on the LCD panel 25.

The system controller 41 controls the display posture and size of theimage through the LCD driver 49. Namely, since the upper area of thedisplay screen 23 (the image display area 23 a) is used for displayingthe image in the taking mode, so that the display size is adjusted sothat its long sides (length in a longitudinal direction) correspond tothe short sides of the display screen 23. Moreover, the image isdisplayed in a direction that the longitudinal direction of the displayscreen 23 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (horizontaldirection) of the image. Thereby, up, down, left, and right sides of thecamera body 11 and the displayed image correspond to each other when thecamera body 11 is in the normal posture (see FIG. 2).

In the reproducing mode, the display size of the image is enlarged so asto fill the entire display screen 23, and the display posture of theimage is rotated by 90 degree from the posture in the taking mode sothat the long sides of the display screen 23 correspond to the longsides (horizontal direction) of the image. Thereby, up, down, left, andright of the camera body 11 and the displayed image correspond to eachother when the camera body 11 is turned sideways from the normal posture(see FIG. 3).

A touch panel 56 is operated for inputting the operation signal to thesystem controller 41 together with the release button 16 and themultifunction key 22. There are two types of the touch panel 56according to the arrangement, one of which is disposed under the displayscreen 23 and the other arranged on the display screen 23. As a methodof detecting the contact to the display screen 23, a pressure sensitivetype for detecting the change in pressure on the panel and anelectrostatic type for detecting an electronic signal by staticelectricity may be applied to the present embodiment.

A USB connector 57 is connected with an external apparatus such as a PCthrough a cable, and is a communication interface for transferring theimage data recorded in the memory card 55 and importing the data fromthe external apparatus.

Next, the operation of the above structure is explained. When the imageis taken, the taking mode is selected by the mode switching dial 21.Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera body 11 is put in the normalposture, and the lower portion thereof is gripped. Since the digitalcamera 10 is the vertical type, it can be held stably by such a gripmethod.

In the taking mode, the live image is through-displayed on the imagedisplay area 23 a such that its horizontal direction (longitudinaldirection) is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the displayscreen 23. Since the lower portion of the image display area 23 abecomes the blank area 23 b, the live image is not hidden, evenpartially, by the hand 17. After framing with watching the image displayarea 23 a, the releasing operation is performed by depressing therelease button 16 or the release key 26. After releasing, the main imagedata is stored in the memory card 55.

When the taken image is reproduced, the reproducing mode is selected byoperating the mode switching dial 21, and as shown in FIG. 3, the camerabody 11 is rotated sideways by 90 degree from the normal posture. Whenthe reproducing mode is selected, the recorded image read out from thememory card 55 is displayed on the display screen 23. In the reproducingmode, the direction of the image is also rotated by 90 degree from thatin the taking mode, and the image fills the entire display screen 23with its long sides (longitudinal direction) corresponding to thelongitudinal direction of the display screen 23. Thereby, it is possibleto display the large size of image.

The type and layout of the above-mentioned operation keys in the displayscreen can be suitably changed. For instance, since the appropriatelayout of the operation keys is different between a right-handed userand a left-handed user, the different layout settings may be establishedfor the right and left handed. In this case, the system controllerchanges the position of the operation keys based on setting informationto switch the layout.

In the above embodiment, since the image is displayed on the entiredisplay screen in the reproducing mode, the display size is larger thanin the taking mode. Alternatively, the image may be displayed on a partof the display screen, such as 80% of the screen. In addition, when theuser desires to confirm the recorded image by reproducing and displayingit for a while immediately after taking the image, the reproduced imagemay be displayed in the same posture as the live image because it istroublesome to turn the camera body horizontally,

In the above embodiment, the blank area is used as an area fordisplaying various kinds of information and used as an operating sectionby displaying the operation key and providing the touch panel. The blankarea may be used as only a blackout grip space instead. In addition,when the blank area is not provided, the lower area (corresponding tothe blank area) of the display screen may be used as the image displayarea by displaying the entire image on the upper portion of the displayscreen and displaying a part of the image in an enlarged size on thelower portion, for example.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the touch panel is providedin the blank area in addition to the operation members (release button,multifunction key, and the like) provided in the camera body, either onemay be provided. When only the touch panel is provided for inputting theoperation signal, since it is unnecessary to provide the operationmembers in the camera body, irregularities of the surface of the camerabody is eliminated to enhance the design properties.

The layout of the operation member provided in the camera body can bechanged in accordance with the grip position and so forth. As shown inFIG. 5, when a digital camera 71 is held, a front surface of a camerabody 72 may be covered with the hand 17, and both side surfaces aregripped by fingers. In this case, a release button 73 and amultifunction key 74 may be arranged in one side surface of the camerabody 72 so that the release operation and the zoom operation can beperformed with the finger positioned on the side surface of the camerabody 72. Note that the components same as those in the above embodimentare represented by the same numerals in FIG. 5.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the taking lens is provided suchthat an optical axis is perpendicular to the display screen of the LCDpanel; however, as a digital camera 81 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, anoptical axis 84 of a taking lens 83 may be inclined with respect to adisplay screen 82 a of an LCD panel 82. The taking lens 83 is attachedto be inclined such that an imaging surface of the taking lens 83 isdirected upward slightly when the display screen 82 a parallels thevertical direction in a state that a camera body 85 is in the normalposture A CCD 86 is also inclined in the same manner as the optical axis84. A slope 85 a is formed in an upper portion of the camera body 85.The taking lens 83 is arranged such that the optical axis 84 becomesperpendicular to the slope 85 a.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the user directs the taking lens 83 toward thesubject, the camera body 85 leans forward and a display screen 82 afaces upward. That is, when the user holds the digital camera 81 belowhis/her face, the display screen 82 a will face the direction of user'seyes, and it is easily watched. In addition, since the angle of theuser's wrist becomes easy, the camera body 85 is easily gripped.

In the above embodiment, although the taking mode and the reproducingmode are switched manually by operating the mode switching dial and thelike, these modes may be switched automatically according to the postureof the camera body by, using a posture detector provided for detectingthe posture of the camera body. In this case, the operation mode is setto the taking mode when the posture detector detects that the short sideof the camera body is at the top, and it is switched to the reproducingmode when the posture detector detects that the long side of the camerabody is at the top. As the posture detector, for example, a gyro sensor(angular velocity detector) 91 as shown in FIG. 7 is used. The systemcontroller 41 controls the display direction on the LCD panel 25 inresponse to the signal from the gyro sensor 91. Instead of the gyrosensor 91, a switch turned on/off by a swingable weighted lever may beused as the posture detector.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the display direction of theimage is changed by switching the operation mode, the display directionmay be capable of being switched arbitrary. For instance, in some cases,the user desires to turn the camera sideways in the taking mode, whilethe user desires to turn it upright in the reproducing mode. Inconsideration of such a case, in both the taking mode and thereproducing mode, the display direction can be made switchable between afirst display direction in which the long sides of the display screenand the image are perpendicular to each other and a second displaydirection in which the long sides of them approximately correspond toeach other, so that the image display is made convenient. In this case,an operation member for switching the display direction of the imagepreferentially may be provided in addition to the operation member forswitching between the taking mode and the reproducing mode.

Although the aspect ratio of the image is 4:3 in the above embodiment,it may be other aspect ratio, such as 16:9. In addition, the digitalcamera for taking the still image is explained in the above embodiment;however, the present invention may be applied to a digital cameracapable of taking a moving image in addition to the still image.Moreover, although the digital camera is explained as the example in theabove embodiment, the present invention may be applied to various kindsof imaging device with display such as a mobile terminal having an imagecapturing function, such as a cell phone and PDA (Personal DigitalAssistance).

In addition, the present invention can be applied to an image displaydevice without the image capturing function such as an image reproducingplayer for reproducing the still image and the moving image. In case ofthe image display device, the display direction of the image can bechanged in response to the posture of the main body.

Although the LCD is used as the display in the above embodiment, variouskinds of display such as a display using an EL (electro luminescence)element, for example can also be used.

Although the present invention has been fully described by the way ofthe preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to thosehaving skill in this field. Therefore, unless otherwise these changesand modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, theyshould be construed as included therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An imaging apparatus having at least a stillimage taking mode and a reproducing mode comprising: an imaging devicefor photoelectrically converting a subject image focused through ataking lens to obtain a captured image; a main body containing saidimaging device, having a long shape and being in a unitary format butnot in a folding format; a display of a touch panel type attached to afirst surface of said main body and having a display screen in arectangular shape disposed such that a long side direction thereofcorresponds to that of said main body; an image display area which isprovided in an upper area of said display and displays a through imagein said still image taking mode; and a blank area which is provided in alower area of said display and does not display said through image insaid still image taking mode, wherein a release key which is one ofoperation members of a touch panel type for recording said capturedimage is displayed in said blank area, wherein said taking lens isdisposed in an upper portion on a second surface opposite to said firstsurface of said main body, where the upper is defined as a side wheresaid taking lens is disposed in said long side direction, and the loweris opposite thereto, wherein said release key is at a position that canbe operated with a thumb, when a lower part of said main body is heldwith one hand so that said thumb is on said first surface and fingersexcept said thumb are on said second surface, and wherein the total areaof said operation members which are displayed as keys and include saidrelease key is smaller than the area of said blank area except saidoperation members which are displayed as said keys and include saidrelease key.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: adisplay controller for switching between the still image taking mode forcapturing an image with the imaging device and the reproducing mode forreproducing and displaying image captured with the imaging device;wherein during the still image taking mode, the lower area displays atleast one key operable in response to a user input, wherein during thereproducing mode, the display displays the captured image in the upperand lower areas of the display.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising an operation member for switching between the stillimage taking mode and the reproducing mode.
 4. An apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising a posture detector for detecting a verticalposture of the main body and horizontal posture in which the main bodyis rotated by 90 degree from the vertical posture.
 5. An apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein during the still image taking mode, theupper area of the display displaying the image detected by the imagingdevice changes position when the posture detector detects that the mainbody has changed from a vertical posture to a horizontal posture or froma horizontal posture to a vertical posture.
 6. An apparatus according toclaim 5, wherein during the still image taking mode, the lower area ofthe display displaying the at least one key changes position when theposture detector detects that the main body has changed from a verticalposture to a horizontal posture or from a horizontal posture to avertical posture.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein theupper area of the display is positioned above the lower area of thedisplay regardless of the posture detected by the posture detector. 8.An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein during the still image takingmode, the displayed captured image rotates 90 degrees when the posturedetector detects that the main body has changed from a vertical postureto a horizontal posture or from a horizontal posture to a verticalposture.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capturedimage displayed during the reproducing mode fills the upper area and thelower area the display.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe upper area of the display is positioned above the lower area of thedisplay when the main body is in a vertical posture.
 11. An apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display anumber of the captured image during the reproducing mode.
 12. Anapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is configured todisplay at least one key operable in response to a user input during thereproducing mode.
 13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein thedisplay is configured to change the captured image being displayed froma first image to a second image in response to operation of the at leastone key.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein operation of afirst key of the at least one key displayed in the second portion of thedisplay during the still image taking mode causes the apparatus tocapture an image detected by the imaging device.
 15. An apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising a release button on the mainbody, wherein operation of the release button causes the apparatus tocapture an image detected by the imaging device.